Modify without deleteing old settings,

[QooScho]

Hello,
Complete installation will install an Apache Webserver with PHP files and a web application. Also a MySQL DB and the main windows programm will be installed.
If someone choose not installing the Web application, the Apache Webserver and PHP files will not be installed.
Problem is.
If the "small" version is installed (Without Apache and PHP) and someone will run the setup again to install the Webapplication later, it seems
that the complete program with all settings are deleted and installed new. It seems that also the MySQL database is deleted.
Is this normal behavior?
Does a modify installation first do a complete deinstallation of the program and install again?
If yes, how can you prevent of deinstallation the old settings and database?
regards
Hans

[FrancescoT]

Dear Hans,

if a feature is re-installed when the package runs in maintenance mode, all the files part of that feature, are overwritten by those included with the installer.
However, The Windows Installer engine behavior is to overwrite files on the target system only if the ones you are copying are newer.

That said, the files on your target machine should be not replaced, because they should be newer of those include with your installer.

Do you maybe used NATIVE ENGINE instead and changed its behavior through the NATIVE_OVERWRITE_OLDER pre-defined variable?

Regards

[QooScho]

Dear Francesco,
thank you for help.

<<<Do you maybe used NATIVE ENGINE instead and changed its behavior through the NATIVE_OVERWRITE_OLDER pre-defined variable?
No I have not changed these settings.

Maybe the installer was newer then the installed version. I do not know exakt because I only heard about this problem from a collegue.
But was also happened:
The Install options dialog has Entries:
--Server with Database
--Webapplication
--Others

Installed was "Server with Database". Then the collegue tried to add (modify) the Webapplication.
After that, the Server and Database was removed and only the Webapplication was installed.
Why is the Server with Database removed or uninstalled?

best regards
Hans

[FrancescoT]

Dear Hans,

for what you are reporting I can only suppose that "probably", there are some errors with the approch you used to manage your features installation.
...without having your code it's not easy for me to find out the cause of your issue

BTW, I may suggest you to have alook at the "Features" sample available with the following link.
... maybe you will be able to verify if there is something wrong with the way you used.
http://www.installaware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6772

Hope this helps you.

Regards